Motor flat



Jan. 2@, 1948. P. M. KECKLEY MOTOR FLOAT Filed Aug. 16, 1946 PatentedJan. 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTOR FLOAT Paul M. Kcckley,Wardensville, W. Va.

Application August 16, 1946, Serial No. 691,091

Claims.

This invention relates generally to self-propelled watercraft, and moreparticularly to a motor-driven, portable float especially adapted foruse in connection with water floats, sports, and other uses at swimmingresorts, on which the operator rides by straddling the float behind thecontrols, which are located in the fore part of the float, the primaryobject of the invention being the provision of a float of this character'in which the entire operating mechanism, including the motor and thepropeller are enclosed in a compartment at the bow of the float,excepting the rudder, which is located at the stern of the float.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a floatof the character set forth above consisting of a single water-tight hullwhose bow portion is formed to a greater depth than the intermediate andstem portions in order to supply the additional buoyancy required tosupport the motor or engine, its full tank, the propeller mechanism, andmost of the weight of the operator, the said hull being preferably madeof die-stamped aluminum, or other light weight material, with a view toportability, so that the float can be readily carried in or upon anordinary automobile.

Other important objects and advantageous features of this invention willbe apparent from the following description and the drawings appendedthereto, wherein for purposes of illustration only, a presentlypreferred but non-limiting embodiment of the invention is set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, showing in dotted lines the battery andaccessory cases, and the rudder and its control cables.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, showing certain parts in dotted lines, andbroken away to show the engine and propeller and valve mechanism.

Figure 3 is a front end elevation.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are transverse vertical sections taken on the linesii, 55, and 6-B, re-

spectively, of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1' generally designatesthe single hull of the float, preferably of diestamped aluminum or othersimilarly adequate inexpensive light weight material, so that a float ofa length of about five feet can be readily lifted into and out of anordinary automobile and carried about, in fully equipped condition.

The hull 7 comprises side walls which include the straight rearwardlyconverging portions 0 terminating at their rear ends at the overhanging,

2 relatively shallow, transversely curved stern 9, the upper edges ofthe side wall portions 8, as shown in Figure 2, being straight andhorizontal, and the lower edges generally parallel to the upper edges,except for the declining triangular depending portions H0.

The hull side walls further include the deeper forward portions II, aportion of whose upper edges are continuous with the upper edges of theportions 8 with their lower edges dropped substantially below the loweredges of the portions 8, while still being mainly parallel thereto.

The forward part of the side wall portions H, as indicated in Figures 3and 4, are somewhat downwardly convergent with the upper edges thereofcurved at 2 to merge into the pearshaped dome l3. The dome l3, forming aportion of the top Wall of the hull I, constitutes the top of the engineand propeller compartment, and curves rearwardly and downwardly to mergeinto the forward end of the generally horizontal deck 14 which isattached to the upper edges of the hull side walls 8 and forms the topof the hull.

As shown in Figure l, the forward hull side wall portions H are concavedat I5 on both sides of the hull l to accommodate the legs of theoperator when straddling the hull 1 in the ordinary position of use ofthe float and seated on a suitable arcuate pad or cushion l5 secured inplace on the deck i l. Another and larger lounging pad or cushion ll maybe secured along the remainder of the deck IE to the rear of the cushionIB for use also to accommodate transient passengers.

As indicated in Figure 2, the forward ends of the side walls 8 terminateat the sides of a rearwardly declining punt nose 18 positioned below thedome i3, and the hull bottom I9 is secured between and follows thecontours of the lower edges of the various portions of the hull sidewalls 8.

A rudder 2B is located under the stern portion 9 and has a steering post2| projecting upwardly into the hull l and equipped with a cross-head 22to the arms of which are secured the two flights of a steering cable 23,which are confined between forward pulleys 24 and under pulleys 25 andconnected with a steering post 25 mounted in brackets 2? secured to thehull within therear part of the dome I3 and having a steering wheel 22thereabove. A battery compartment 29 and an accessory compartment 30located in sideby-side relation immediately rearwardly of the cushion itare secured to the hull top or deck 3 M with the rudder cables 23passing therebetween.

Extending substantially the entire length of the hull l is the watertube 3! which runs parallelly along and is secured to the upset bottomportion 32 and opens at its rear end and in alignment with the rudder20, a debris screen 33 being located therein as indicated in Figure 2.The water tube 3! runs forwardly from the bottom portion 32 through thedeeper forward part of the hull in spaced relation to the related bottomportion 33, as far asthe point 34, where the water tube has an upwardlyand diametrically enlarged propeller chamber 35 which opens at itsforward side in a water intake nozzle 36, which is on a plane slightlyabove the bottom of the water. tube 3| and of slightly larger diameter,with a debris screen 31 closing its forward end. where it opens throughthe upper part of the punt nose is, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Water cut-off valves 38 and 39, pivoted across the forward part of thewater pipe 3i and the water intake nozzle 35, respectively, areoperatively connected by a rod All, with a cable 4| connected to thevalve 3% and extending upwardly and rearwardly beneath the dome l3 andprovided with a handle G2 near the steering wheel,

whereby the valves may be closed against the tension of an openingspring 43 to prevent water interference with the propeller 45 whenstarting the engine 45.

The screw-propeller M is located in the propeller chamber 35 on ahorizontal shaft 46 journaled in a hull bracket on the rear of thechamber 35 and having a sprocket chain connection 41 with the shaft of asuitable light weight engine- 45 mounted beneath the dome 13 above andto the rear of the propeller 44', with a fuel tank 48 secured to thedome 13 above the engine. The engine 45 is supported by brackets 49secured to the side walls 8 of the hull 1, as shown in Figure 3.

As indicated in Figures 4, and 6, the hull! can have at the pointsdesignated slight variations in hull bottom and hull top or deckcontours from those hereinabove described, at which points are locatedand secured to the hull side walls 8 and top I A and bottom 32 thecross-braces 5!), 5i and 52, respectively, with which the water tube 3!is also connected, the openings 54 in the cross-braces lightening theirweight.

Suitable operating controls (not shown) for the engine 45 may beprovided in any adequate convenient and conventional form.

I claim:

1. A portable motor float comprising a single light weight closed hullcomprising a shallow draft rear portion and a relatively deep draftforward or bow portion, said forward or bow portion including a domerising above said rear portion and a lower part depending below saidrear portion, a central water tube extending substantially the length ofsaid hull rearwardly along the bottom of said rear shallow draft portionand forwardly through said deep draft bow portion to a point in spacedrelation to the prow of said how portion in upwardly spaced relationwith the bottom of said bow portion, a propeller cham her in said bowportion into which the forward end of said water tube opens, a waterintake nozzle in said bow portion opening at its rear end into saidpropeller chamber, a screw propeller mounted in said propeller chamber,and an engine mounted in said bow portion beneath said dome anddrivingly connected to said propeller.

2. A portable motor float comprising a single light weight closed hullcomprising a shallow draft rear portion and a relatively deep draftforward or bow portion, said forward or bow portion including a domerising above said rear portion and a lower part depending below saidrear portion, a central water tube extending sub stantially the lengthof said hull rearwardly along the bottom of said rear shallow draftportion and forwardly through said deep draft bow portion to a point inspaced relation to the prow of said bow portion in upwardly spacedrelation with the bottom of said bow portion, a propeller chamber insaid bow portion into which the forward end of said water tube opens, awater intak nozzle in said bow portion opening at its rear end into saidpropeller chamber, a screw pro peller mounted in said propeller chamber,and an engine mounted in said bow portion beneath said dome anddrivingly connected to said propeller, said engine being positionedabove and to the rear of said propeller.

3. A portable motor float comprising a single light weight closed hullcomprising a shallow draft rear portion and a relatively deep draftforward or bow portion, said forward or bow portion including a domerising above said rear portion and a lower part depending below saidrear portion, a central water tube extending substantially the length ofsaid hull rearwardly along the bottom of said rear shallow draft portionand forwardly through said deep draft bow portion to a point in spacedrelation to the prow of said bow portion in upwardly spaced relationwith the bottom of said bow portion, a propeller chamber in said bowportion into which the forward end of said water tube opens, a waterintake nozzle in said bow portion opening at its rear end into saidpropeller chamber, a screw propeller mounted in said propeller chamber,and an engine mounted in said bow portion beneath said dome anddrivingly connected to said propeller, said engine being positionedabove and to the rear of said propeller, said engine having a fuel tankthereabove and mounted in said dome.

4. A portable motor float comprising a single light weight closed hullcomprising a shallow draft rear portion and a relatively deep draftforward or bow portion, said forward or bow portion including a domerising above said rear portion and a lower part depending below saidrear portion, a central water tube extending substantially the length ofsaid hull rearwardly along the bottom of said rear shallow draft portionand forwardly through said deep draft bow portion to a point in spacedrelation to the prow of said bow portion in upwardly spaced relationwith the bottom of said how portion, a propeller chamber in said howportion into which the iorward end of said water tube opens, a waterintake nozzle in said bow portion opening at its rear end into saidpropeller chamber, a screw propeller mounted in said propeller chamber,and an engine mounted in said bow portion beneath said dome anddrivingly connected to said propeller, and a vertical axis rudder on thestern of said rear hull portion, control cables leading forwardlytherefrom through said hull, and a steering wheel mounted on said domefor operating said cables.

5. A portable motor float comprising a single light weight closed hullcomprising a shallow draft rear portion and a relatively deep draftforward or bow portion, said forward or bow portion including a domerising above said rear por- '5 tion and a lower part depending belowsaid rear portion, a central water tube extending substantially thelength of said hull rearwardly along the bottom of said rear shallowdraft portion and forwardly through said deep draft bow portion to apoint in spaced relation to the prow of said bow portion in upwardlyspaced relation with the bottom of said bow portion, a, propellerchamber in said bow portion into which the forward end of said watertube opens, a water intake nozzle in said bow portion opening at itsrear end into said propeller chamber, a screw propeller mounted in saidpropeller chamber, and an engine mounted in said bow portion beneathsaid dome and drivingly connected to said propeller, said hull beingprovided on its top with an operators seat cushion located in theforward part of said rear hull portion immediately to the rear of saiddome, and the side Walls of said hull being curvedly indented alongsidesaid cushion to accommodate the legs of the operator in straddling thehull while seated on said cushion.

PAUL M. KECKLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 441,965 Owen Dec. 2,18901,259,201 Barringer Mar. 12,1918 2,094,136 Strawn Sept. 28,1937 152,379,834 Sharp July 3, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 791,996France Oct. 7,1935

